To Touch the Future
by annablossom4703
Summary: A year since "Caught in the Moment," Desara has finished her handmaiden training. However, her world flips soon after, and she realizes that in order to exist in the moment, she will have to touch the future.
1. Chapter 1

Hey. Butterflies! This is the third and final story in my _Star Wars_ series. I have had a good time writing, and I hope you have enjoyed them! Note, this story is set about one year after the final chapter of _Caught in the Moment_.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

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Fabric swishes against the cool marble floor as she walks. Suddenly, she stops, her cloak swishing to a stop too. She sinks into a deep curtsy before rising smoothly.

"My lady, it has been a pleasure and an honor to serve you during my training."

"It was a pleasure to have you serve during your training, Handmaiden Desirée." Then she shakes hands with the Queen before stepping aside, for the first time as a full-fledged handmaiden. Desara looks across the room to where Ré stands with a serious expression but eyes bright with excitement. Over the past few years since they met, Ré has begun to see Desara as a little sister of sorts. But Desara sees more than just Ré; she also sees Padmé, who Desara has since concluded is her grandmother, this time Padmé is in a rose gown with silver embroidery and a long silver necklace and her hair pulled back in a high bun with two looped braids hanging down and a rose colored hair comb. Padmé smiles at Desara as she stands next to Ré. Over a year has passed since the attack that left Desara's midichlorians and Moi'ra Tade dead, but most of Desara's midichlorians have since been replaced, giving her the ability to see her grandmother again.

After the graduation ceremony, Ré and Desara go for a walk around the Naboo palace grounds. Desara has been given three months off before her first assignment as a handmaiden; the current queen of Naboo has been having health problems, and she believes that Desara, known to the queen as Desirée, will be the best substitute for her at official events.

"Ré, I know the oldest a girl can be to be queen is 19, but are handmaidens allowed to run for queen? That was never addressed in my classes." Ré thinks for a moment; this is a rare question.

"I don't believe there are any rules against it, Desirée. It's rare since handmaidens promise to serve their mistress with absolute loyalty, but I don't think it's not allowed. Why?"

"I was just wondering. I'm 17 now, believe it or not, and with the queen's term in her second year, I was wondering if could run in two years since my birthday falls after the election." Ré pauses, not sure how to respond.

"Going from handmaiden to queen is difficult, but not impossible, and I am of the belief that handmaidens make the best queens." The two continue talking for a good while, letting time pass them by. Suddenly a guard comes running towards the two.

"Handmaidens Mohv and Tade, Her Majesty requests your presence immediately." Both Ré and Desara rise from the bench where they were seated and race with the guard to the queen's chambers.

Inside the queen's chambers, Ré and Desara are alone with the queen, who is lying in bed with her eyes closed. The two handmaidens curtsy to the queen, who only motions for them to come closer. When they reach her bedside, the queen starts to say something, but she is too quiet, so Desara kneels to hear her.

"I know I promised you three months before your assignment, Desirée, but I need you much sooner than that."

"Of course, Your Majesty. How may your handmaiden be of service?"

"The new Treaty, I was supposed to attend an event with our potential representative in three days, but I can't not like this. Please go in my place."

"Yes, Majesty." Desara stands after a quick bow of her head. The two handmaidens then leave the queen in the capable hands of the medical droids.

"Ré, do they know what's wrong with the Queen?" There is no one else around, in part because this is the handmaidens' private section of the palace, but the isolation makes the conversation much easier to have.

"Desirée, that is something that only the Queen, her doctors, and her personal handmaidens know. They are forbidden to tell us unless Her Majesty gives them permission to do so."

"Will she live?" Ré sighs; Desara does know after all that this was a serious illness the Queen has.

"Force knows, Desirée."

Hours later, the Queen summons Desara to her private chambers, where she informs Desara of everything she needs to know about pretending to be her for the meeting with the representatives. That night, Desara returns to her quarters in silence. She spends a few minutes meditating before eventually giving up and deciding to go to bed. Suddenly, Padmé appears in a gold robe.

"Grandmother?" Desara asks.

"What is it, love? The Force sent me to help you."

"I'm nervous. I have to appear before a hearing with the Naboo representatives for the Galactic Treaty, but I have to pretend to be the Queen." Padmé and Desara sit down on Desara's bed, and Padmé gives Desara a sideways hug. "One of the representatives is my mother."

"I know, love, but your mother will think nothing less of you. When I was Queen, I pretended to be my handmaiden a lot while she took my place, and it was hard sometimes to keep us straight. Trust the Force, Des, but trust your gut too. My decoy Sabé later told me that the reason she was able to lead so well in my place was that she trusted herself to serve as best as she could." Desara nods, processing everything Padmé has said.

"Grandmother, one last thing." Padmé smiles gently. "Everything I can find on you says that you died while you were pregnant, but that's obviously not the case since I'm here. So what did happen?"

Padmé sighs, and she sinks a little further into the bed. "I gave birth, but as I brought two children into this world, I knew my life was being taken away to save someone else: your grandfather Anakin Skywalker. Luke and Leia were born, and I remember a peacefulness. It felt like I was floating in water and completely deprived of my sense. I felt numb and at peace. They made me look pregnant at my funeral to protect my children." Desara takes her grandmother's hand and gives it a comforting squeeze. "My grandfather was behind this all too. He was the Emperor and the one keeping Anakin alive as Darth Vader." The two young women sit for a moment longer before Padmé offers to tuck Desara in. Then Padmé vanishes while Desara stares blankly at the ceiling. Trust her gut and do what she believes is best for Naboo? Is that not what the Queen does anyway?

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That's the end of Chapter 1! I've had fun with this series, but I'm also glad to be finishing it. I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll have Chapter 2 up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, Butterflies! I'm back with Chapter 2! Yes, I know I am going against parts of the established canon, but bear with me. There is a reason for this, besides it being a fanfiction.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

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Padmé shakes Desara awake and introduces her to a second female ghost in the room: Sabé. Sabé explains that she was the handmaiden who served as Padmé's decoy during her time as Queen. Sabé then asks if Desara will have an ear comm in or if she will be acting as the the Queen on her own, to which Desara replies that she will have an ear comm but that the Queen told her to not expect to use it. Sabé nods and replies that what Desara should do is trust her instinct to lead her what she should do when she is acting without the Queen's guidance but that she should listen to the Queen when she speaks.

"Remember that while you are acting as the Queen, you are not a handmaiden acting as the Queen, you _are_ the Queen. The other handmaidens will keep their eyes away from you, as they usually do, to avoid drawing suspicion." Sabé gives Desara a few more tips to help her before telling her and Padmé that she has to go. Sabé disappears into the air, leaving Padmé and Desara alone in Desara's chambers. Padmé smooths Desara's hair and wishes her well before disappearing too. Desara dresses and packs a couple of her belongings before going to meet the Queen and her entourage in the Queen's chambers.

"Your Majesty," Desara says with a deep curtsy to the Queen, who is lying in her bed.

"Desirée, come here," the Queen says somewhat more weakly than three days before. Desara approaches the bedside, where she kneels to hear the Queen. "You'll have an ear comm, but I want you to do your best without it." Desara nods, and the Queen wishes her well and thanks her for taking her place. Then the Queen's entourage, except for a few, whisk Desara away to disguise her as the Queen. Desara emerges after a while dressed completely as the Queen. When she looks in the mirror, she is surprised at how much like the Queen she looks now that she is fully dressed. The entourage work with Desara to teach her how to walk in the royal gown before they present her to the Queen again. Then they are off to meet with the representatives.

The group arrives after a short flight to another large city in Naboo. Normally, they would have met in Theed, but in order to deflect attention off the Queen's health, the meeting was arranged to be outside the capital. Desara sees a group of three people, one of whom she recognizes from her Trials two years before: her mother. The representatives bow to Desara, who gives a slight bow in return. Then everyone goes inside to discuss the the Treaty.

"I do not believe that agreement to be best for Naboo. We are a very peaceful planet, and I will not have our forces fighting on other planets. If we changed the clause so that there is a volunteer force for all the planets in the Treaty to call on if they need help but not requiring the planets to provide forces, that will be better for us." Desara hears the Queen mutter something that sounds like approval in the ear comm. The representatives type in some notes to the edge of the document before continuing with the document. Several hours later, they finish, and Desara sends the representatives off with the new suggestions; the representatives will return in a couple of weeks, but Desara hopes that by then the Queen will be well enough to travel and perform this duty. Desara may have a knack for making these kinds of decisions, as she discovered today, but that does not mean that she wants to make them for someone else who is supposed to be making them herself.

On the short flight back to the palace in Theed, the other handmaidens congratulate Desara on a job well done, but all Desara can think about is the Queen. A chill forces itself down her spine; the Queen will not survive, it says as the message spreads through her body. Desara steps away to be in private, where she begs with the Force to change its will. Naboo needs its Queen, she explains, but the message stays the same.

When the ship arrives in Theed, one of the Queen's handmaidens who stayed behind whisks the others away while Ré greets Desara and helps her change into normal clothes back in Desara's room.

"What's bothering you, Desirée?" Ré asks when she notices how quiet Desara is.

"How long until I can use my other name?" Desara asks. Ré stops unpinning Desara's hair and sighs.

"Maybe never, Des." Desara sighs. She understands why it has to be this way, but she has been unable to let go of who she was before she was given her new identity. The two continue in silence until finally Desara is out of the Queen's clothes and back in her own. Then Desara returns the clothes to the Queen's handmaidens before returning to Ré. "Your name's not the only thing on your mind."

"On the way back from the meeting, I got this feeling, like I just know that the Queen won't pull through. I don't want to believe it, but I can't shake the feeling that it's true." Ré sits down on Desara's bed and motions for her to sit too.

"The Queen is very sick, they say with a lung disease. They're doing the best they can for her, but there's so much uncertainty. All I can say is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst." Ré then stands up. "I'm just across the common area in my room if you need me. Goodnight, Desirée."

"Goodnight, Ré." Then Ré leaves the room. Alone, Desara disappears into the refresher and emerges shortly afterwards before changing into a nightgown and getting in the bed. She hopes the feeling she got was wrong, but she has no idea what to do if it is right.

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That's the end of Chapter 2! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I hope to have Chapter 3 up soon. Love you all!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, Butterflies! I'm back with Chapter 3! Hope you enjoy!

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The palace is quiet; there seems to be no one moving. Desara dresses quietly before going to the other side of the living quarters to find Ré. She knocks on the door, and a very awake Ré opens it.

"It's too quiet," Ré says; Desara nods. They hurry to find some guards, and when they finally find one, he explains that the Queen is much better today than she has been, so she and her handmaidens went outside the palace grounds. Ré and Desara both relax a little, but Desara knows that the Queen is not out of the woods just yet. The Queen will have to kick her illness entirely in order for her to be safe. In her years since leaving the sanctuary on Maldofy, she has seen people get sick and then improve just before they pass away, but she has also seen many others overcome their illness. Desara hopes the Queen falls in the latter category.

"Ré, what happens if the Queen dies?" Desara asks back in the privacy of their quarters. Ré seems surprised by Desara's question, but she understands Desara's concern.

"The Royal Advisory Council will act as the Head of State until a new Queen is elected. The new Queen will finish out Queen Catareese's term. After that, there will be an election, and then we have our next Queen." Desara nods and thanks Ré for the answer. "Desirée, I know you're worried about the Queen, but I'm sure she'll be fine." Ré knows, however, that the Queen's recovery is not guaranteed, and it worries her, too, that the Queen has made this sudden improvement.

Later that day, Desara finds Ré in the palace gardens. She sits down on a bench next to Ré and asks if she can tell her something. Ré says of course.

"One of the representatives is my mother." Ré takes a deep breath.

"Does anyone else know?"

"No, just us two." Desara decides it best to keep quiet about her grandmother's Force ghost.

"But your mother didn't recognize you?"

"No, not when I was dressed as the Queen."

"In that case, Desirée, I'd keep quiet and not tell anyone else. They don't know your story like I do, so they won't understand. Do you want to see her?"

"No, I have a duty to Naboo first. I'll see her after I finish my assignment." Ré gives Desara a side hug, but she cannot help but feel a pang of jealousy and resentment that Desara's mother has shown back up in her life and doing what she had been doing before, too, when that was the very thing that led to Ré's own parents' deaths. It is something she had mentioned in passing to Desara only once, three years ago, so she does not expect Desara to remember it. Besides, Ré's parents died seventeen years ago, almost eighteen. She had let go of it, or at least she thought she had. Now, she is not so sure.

"Let's go inside now," Ré suggests, and the two leave the gardens. On their way in, a young handmaiden in training tells the two that the Queen is holding a meeting for all the handmaidens. Ré and Desara follow the trainee to the throne room, where the Queen is seated on her throne, a handmaiden within reaching distance on both sides.

"My loyal handmaidens, I know there has been much concern about my health recently, but I assure you all, my friends, that I am doing much better now." The relief of all the handmaidens is palpable. "You have no need to worry."

The next morning, Ré enters Desara's room, only to find her gone. Desara, meanwhile, is in the Queen's chambers, the Queen's hands grasping hers as she gives her a daunting assignment, so quietly that the Queen's personal entourage cannot hear what she is saying.

"Desirée, you must become the next Queen. I have full faith in the Force and in you, that you will lead these people into a great future. I just wish I could be there to see it and to touch it." The Queen then begins coughing, and Desara pulls her veil over her nose and mouth while the Queen's personal handmaidens swoop in to help her. Silence follows, but Desara cannot see anything. A couple handmaidens step back while the lead handmaiden folds the Queen's hands on her stomach before another untucks the covers from the Queen's arms and pulls the sheets over the Queen's face. The remaining handmaidens step back from the Queen while the lead handmaiden fetches a necklace with the royal seal of Naboo on it and places it on the sheet covering the Queen.

"Call the Governor of Naboo," the lead handmaiden says. Desara stands to be the one to get the Governor. As she leaves the Queen's chambers, she hears the sobs of the Queen's personal handmaidens. The door to the Queen's chambers closes, and silence once again fills the palace.


	4. Chapter 4

So last chapter was sad. I know, but don't hate me just yet. Here's Chapter 4.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

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The black robes of the Queen's personal handmaidens barely make a sound as they process solemnly by the Queen's casket. The handmaidens in training had stayed behind at the palace to see them off, but Desara and the other full fledged handmaidens had gone ahead to where the Queen is to be laid to rest to greet the mourning entourage. As Desara catches sight of the approaching entourage, her heart sinks. She had hoped she had been wrong about the Queen's fate, but evidently, she is now strong enough in the Force to have her ability to sense things back. Ré, as the eldest handmaiden, steps forward from the crowd of handmaidens to take the casket and lead it to the Queen's tomb. Every handmaiden follows behind the casket until they reach the place where they lower the Queen's casket into the tomb. Then all the handmaidens process back to the palace in silence.

Back in their quarters, Ré and Desara change out of their funeral dresses into everyday black dresses. Neither says a word for a while, but Desara finally breaks it when tears sting her eyes yet never fall.

"I'm sorry, Ré."

"I just wish you had been wrong." Then Ré leaves the common room in a rush, leaving Desara alone. All the handmaidens have the next week or so off to grieve over the Queen's death, but after that they all have to return to work. The Royal Advisory Council will be leading Naboo until a new Queen- or King if a boy makes it that far- is elected, but the handmaidens will have much to do before then to prepare. For starters, the late Queen's chambers will have to be cleaned and disinfected even more thoroughly than it been while the late Queen was sick.

Desara stays in the common room alone and numb for a while, and no one comes looking for her; everyone needs space to grieve. Eventually, Desara notices a hand on her shoulder, so she looks up to see Padmé.

"I know, Desara," Padmé says softly. "I'm sorry."

"Why couldn't I have been wrong this time?"

"It wouldn't have saved Queen Catareese." Padmé takes Desara's hand and squeezes it. "You are grieving for and with a nation, Desara; that is a rare thing to find in someone." Desara only shakes her head, unable to get the words out of her mouth.

"She-she told me to become the next Queen, Grandmother," Desara finally squeaks out. Padmé smoothes Desara's hair.

"She clearly believed you were capable of leading Naboo. When the time comes, and it will, consider her words to you. Make the decision you feel is right, and the Force will do its will." She kisses Desara on the top of her head. "I love you, Desara."

"I love you too, Grandmother." Then Padmé leaves, and Desara is once again alone. Who is she to be the next Queen?

Days pass, and there is suddenly a knock on the door to the common room. Desara presses the button to open the door, and there is her mother on the other side. Leia pulls Desara into a hug without saying a word.

"I'm so sorry about the Queen, child," Leia says. Desara pulls out of the hug.

"How did you find me?" Leia explains that after Desara left the Jedi Order, she and Luke sent Han and Chewie a message saying that it was safe to come out of hiding; Luke had then explained to all three of them that Desara was in the care of the Royal Handmaidens of Naboo, and Leia had decided to go back to work as a Representative, now that the threat was gone.

"I didn't know they changed your name, but I eventually found you."

"What about Dad and Chewie?"

"They're moving back to Naboo soon, love." The conversation passes somewhat forcibly as the two struggle to get to know each other after nearly eighteen years of being apart. Finally, Leia says she has to go, so Desara shows her out.

Desara then wanders around the now quiet palace, still robed in black, until one of the other handmaidens her age tells her that the Royal Advisory Council is having a meeting and that they want all the handmaidens there. The two go to the throne room, where the Governor is preparing for the message to be publically broadcasted over Naboo; the handmaidens are seated out of view of the camera.

"My fellow Naboo, the Royal Advisory Council has decided to begin the election process for a new Queen in two weeks. Anyone wishing to run must inform their local leaders of their intentions to begin the process. Thank you." When the broadcast ends, the Governor turns to the handmaidens. "If any of you wish to run, come speak with me after you're dismissed." Then the handmaidens are given a few reminders and tasks for when the new Queen moves in, and then they are dismissed. Desara and one other handmaiden go up to the Governor to express their intentions to run. The Governor adds their names to an already growing list and tells the two that the Council will get back to them at a later date.

"So you want to run?" Desara asks the other handmaiden.

"Yeah. My neighbor's aunt was Queen once, so I figured I'd give it a try. You?"

"Yes, although I'm not certain I'm the best candidate."

"It's too late now. You can't drop out after you've signed up, but you already know that." Then the other handmaiden leaves Desara to go join some friends of hers. Desara walks to the palace library, where she finds as many journals and books on the past Queens and Kings to see if she can find anything that might help her. She does find something on a Queen Amidala: her grandmother. Suddenly, Desara feels far more relaxed; this is in her blood. She has known it all along, but now she believes it. Maybe Queen Catareese was right.

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That's the end of Chapter 4. Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope to have Chapter 5 up soon.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm back with Chapter 5! I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

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The day has arrived when the palace staff and the handmaidens of age will vote for who will go on to the Theed election: Desara or the other handmaiden. To decide this, there will be a exam about the Naboo government followed by a debate for the small community to watch. Then they will vote to decide who will advance to the next round.

Desara has finished getting ready and is making her way to where the test will be administered. The other handmaiden arrives seconds later. The guard administering the test opens the door and escorts the two inside. They wish each other luck and step into the smaller, separate rooms where they will take their test.

A few hours later, Desara emerges from the quiet room, having completed her test. She feels somewhat confident about it, but she also knows that the other handmaiden had much longer to study and be a handmaiden, so she probably knows more. The guard excuses Desara to prepare her for the evening's debate while her test is scored; she encounters the other handmaiden on her way back to her quarters.

The time for the debate arrives much sooner than Desara had hoped, and although she is physically ready, she is not sure she is mentally ready. Yet, she walks as confidently as she can to the throne room, where the debate will take place.

"The Galactic Treaty is a controversial proposal for the future of Naboo and the galaxy itself. What are you thoughts on Naboo signing the Treaty and why do you believe that is best for our planet?" The moderator asks. Desara processes the last question of what turned out to be a rather heated, but cordial debate. Lucky for Desara, it is the other handmaiden's turn to start.

"I am against Naboo signing the Galactic Treaty because it will lock Naboo into a contract that will ruin us economically, especially if another planet gets involved in conflict, and we are dragged into the mess as a resource supplier." Desara takes a deep breath; she has done this before when she acted as the late Queen, a fact only she and a few others know. When prompted, Desara begins her response.

"I am in favor of the Galactic Treaty because it is a living document that can be changed as our needs change. It is the duty of the Queen to work with the Representatives to create the ideal situation for Naboo. Furthermore, I support the Treaty because if something like what happened decades ago with the Trade Federation happens again today, Naboo will most likely not win that conflict." The debate moderator then closes the debate and thanks the two for their participation. The test scores and debate results will be announced tomorrow followed by the election.

Desara returns to her quarters, where she prepares for bed and falls instantly asleep. She dreams of her grandmother, and when she wakes in the morning, Desara has a name picked out for if she advances to the Theed round.

Ré has already left when Desara emerges from her room, so Desara eats a quick breakfast and heads over to the throne room where the announcement will be made. Neither Desara nor the other handmaiden will be allowed to see the voting handmaidens before they vote or see their test scores. It is an agonizing wait, but the two candidates pass the time by talking with each other and trying to keep things pleasant.

Finally, the Councilwoman with the test results enters the throne room, indicating that the voting age handmaidens have finished casting their votes. The other handmaiden outperformed Desara by about twenty points on the exam, but the election is not yet won. Hours later, the same Councilwoman returns with the election results; Desara feels her stomach knot itself and pull taut.

"Congratulations, Desirée," the Councilwoman says. "You will advance to the next round of elections. You will receive more information later. Thank you both for being willing to serve our planet." Then the Councilwoman leaves.

"Congratulations, Desirée. You'll be a good Queen."

"Thank you, Megra. I'm sorry you didn't win. You'd be a good Queen." Megra and Desara leave the throne room, Megra heading to her quarters, and Desara to the waiting other handmaidens of voting age to greet them as the winning candidate. Suddenly, she is nervous. The majority obviously thought she was a good candidate since they voted for her, but what about the ones who did not? How will they react when she steps out? Pushing her worries aside, Desara walks up to the door where everyone is waiting to see who won on the other side. She pushes the door open, stands up as straight as she can, and walks in. Silence follows and then a couple gasps. Desara makes her way to the mic at the front of the room.

"Thank you, to those of you who did, for voting for me. I have every intention to live up to your expectations as I advance to the next round of elections. And to those of you who voted for Megra, you, too, made an excellent choice in candidate, so do not lose heart. Thank you, and good night." There is a brief applause before Desara is led out of the room and told to return to her quarters. It all moves by in a blur; she has no idea who led her away.

She undresses in her quarters and goes straight to sleep. At one point, she thinks she hears Ré enter the common room, but she has no idea. No dreams plague Desara's sleep, much to her relief, but little sleep she gets. Will she make it past the Theed elections? Did the late Queen even know that Desara would be the next Queen, or was she just desperate for dying hope? These questions plague Desara's light sleep, and when she wakes, she feels the crushing weight of her new reality. Is she really meant for this? Was this really all the Force's will, from the time her family was torn apart to now?

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That's the end of Chapter 5. I know my chapters are getting shorter, but I'm really busy right now, and I just don't have the time to write long chapters anymore. I'll have Chapter 6 up soon.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, Butterflies! I'm back with Chapter 6! Please note that in this chapter, I do even more re-writing of the canon, so bear with me.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

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Desara and several girls, ranging from ages twelve to nineteen, are lined up on a platform in Theed Plaza. Today is the day the people of the region of Theed will vote on their regional candidate to move onto the final round. Whoever wins this round will bear the title Princess of Theed in the final election, where all other titles will be dropped except for the girl who becomes Queen. Suddenly, Desara realizes, there is a lot more at stake now. If she loses this, this will be her last chance at fulfilling the late Queen's final orders, but she knows it is also her last chance to prove to herself that she can be more than just a pawn in a game. Not that Desara sees being a handmaiden as being a pawn; rather she she knows that all her life she has been taking orders from someone else and she finally wants to make be her own master, her own mistress.

"Handmaiden Desirée, tensions have been rising between the Naboo and the Gungans for a while now. How do you intend to improve relations between the Naboo and the Gungans?" Desara takes a deep breath. One shot: today.

"I intend to improve relations by meeting personally with the Gungan Boss to discover what is vexing the Gungan people and negotiate with them to find a solution that can be adapted as needed." A slight murmur passes through the crowd, and it does not sound like an approving murmur. The moderator then asks Desara another question.

"If you are elected the next Queen, Handmaiden Desirée, what will your new name be and why?" This is a question Desara has thought long and hard about; she even asked Padmé for her opinion on Desara's answer.

"My name would be Desirée Naberrie in honor of the beginnings of a great Queen in our planet's history." Again, a murmur passes through the crowd. The moderator asks one final question before moving on to the next girl.

"How come you don't have a Naboo accent, Handmaiden Desirée?" The question shocks Desara, and the moderator moves on to the next girl before Desara has a chance to answer. Whispers move through the crowd as people start to realize the implications of that question. Desara prays to the Force that no one stands up and demands that she be removed from the ballot. Desara tries to play it cool and pretend the question was normal, but she knows that it could cost her the election.

Finally, the interview portion of the election ends, and since it is the final portion before the actual election, everyone will now vote on the Princess of Theed. Desara keeps her fingers crossed as she waits, hoping and praying that the question was not enough to discourage people from voting for her. She has made it this far, after all. If she can clear this election, she will only have one more. She can do that, right?

"Des?" Ré asks as she opens the door to the dressing room. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just nervous, Ré. Why did he ask me that question?" Ré shakes her head. "If he likes some people, you not having a strong Naboo accent worries them that you may not have Naboo's best interest at heart."

"I was born here, though, and I've been trained to give up everything in service to this planet."

"I know, Des, but I also know that people are scared of things they don't understand, and they don't understand you." About that time an alert goes off in the dressing room that results will be announced momentarily and that all candidates should prepare to return to stage. "Good luck, sis," Ré says with a hug before leaving Desara to quickly get ready. Ré returns to the section for Royal Staff, where she finds herself standing by the guard she has had an eye on for a while.

"My dear people of Theed, I present to you your new Princess," the moderator and host takes a dramatic pause, long enough for a shiver to climb down each of Desara's vertebrae. "Desirée Tade." Silence falls over the Plaza as Desara steps towards the host. He presents her with a small box; inside is a pendant, the Pendant of the Princess. People then burst into applause as the host fastens the pendant around Desara's neck. One more election to go, she tells herself. Then she notices her mother in the back of the Plaza. Leia does not even attempt to catch Desara's attention.

In her quarters, Desara spends a minute alone. Ré has already gone to bed for the night, but Desara cannot sleep, so she has gone over to the window seat and sat down.

"Grandmother?" she calls softly, and Padmé soon appears beside Desara. "How did you pick your regal name?" Desara swings her legs off the window seat so Padmé can sit down; she wraps an arm around Desara.

"You know how Naboo has a matriarchal history? How husbands took wives' last names?" Desara nods. "It's been like for all of Naboo's history, and it happens today too. That's why when there not yet an elected monarch, we say Queen, even if a boy is running for office. It's just our way of life. But when I was running, my paternal grandfather was a Senator, so I took his maiden name as my regal name."

"What was your grandfather's name?"

"Sheev Amidala, although after he married my paternal grandmother, he become Sheev Palpatine." Something clicks in Desara's brain.

"You told me that he later ruined the Republic. He was the Emperor!" Padmé nods solemnly.

"But before I ever knew about that, he was my grandfather, so I took his maiden name when I became Queen."

"Grandmother, if I win the final election-"

"Yes, Desara, you may be choose Naberrie as your regal name."

"And your sister's family?"

"They will find out sooner or later that you're family. Goodnight, Desara."

"Goodnight, Grandmother." Padmé disappears, and Desara climbs into bed, where she falls asleep. Her life will never be the same again, and Desara knows it.

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 6! Let me know what you all thought of that little surprise Padmé dropped on us. Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Hey, I'm back with Chapter 7!

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

* * *

Weeks have passed since Desara was elected Princess of Theed; she now shadows the political leaders in Theed in order to gain a better understanding of what they do, as well as keeping with her normal handmaiden duties. It is a lot, but she seems to be doing pretty well balancing it all; Ré helps Desara too when she can. At night, Padmé gives Desara advice on how to improve her speech and debate skills so that can do her best in the final round of elections.

Finally, the night before the final election, Desara cannot sleep. She tosses and turns for a long while until she gives up and goes to take a walk in the gardens.

"Don't worry, Desara." Desara jumps in fright as she spins around to face who just spoke to her, ready to defend herself if need be. Then she realizes it is only Ré.

"Force, Ré, don't do that to me. Besides, I'm Desirée."

"I know. Now please go back to bed. Tomorrow is a big day. Do you remember your schedule?"

"Yes. I give a final speech before the polls open and then everyone votes; I find out the day after tomorrow." Ré smiles and nods.

"No matter what happens after this election, Des, know that I am proud of you." Then Ré sends Desara back to her quarters to get some sleep.

When Desara wakes up in the morning, her alarm has not yet gone off, but she decides to turn off the alarm and get ready for the day. Her dress is a soft dark purple velvet material on the upper bodice with dark purple silk skirt that grazes the floor. Then she ties her hair back in an intricate bun. She is trying to keep her look modest and simple to reflect the style of the handmaidens, but she also knows that she needs to look the part of Princess of Theed. Her makeup too, is more natural than the Queen's will be, but it is still a step above the handmaidens' look. Then she finishes getting ready and practices her speech before breakfast.

"My fellow Naboo, your support throughout this election has meant the galaxy to me, and I appreciate it greatly. As I have said before, I know the history of our planet and our people has been peaceful but that when violence enters our lives, we are devastated. With the possibility of a Galactic Treaty and with tensions rising with the Gungans, I will do my best to secure peace and protection, not just for us now, but for us for all time. By now most of you know that, although I was born on Naboo, I grew up off-world, always moving around the galaxy, and this has given me an invaluable set of knowledge about other planets and cultures that can ensure positive relations with them. Likewise, I have trained as a handmaiden, so I already have knowledge about the intricacies of Royal life. But most importantly, this planet means everything to me because it is my home, where I was born, where my family has lived for generations. I am one of you, and as one Naboo to you, my fellow Naboo, I ask that when you choose your next Queen, you choose me. Thank you, my friends."

Her speech is short, but she hopes she does a good job at convincing them. Desara takes her seat, and the next Princess stands to make her speech. She is quite nervous, and her voice makes it very clear, so Desara uses the Force to send a subtle calming energy through the air, making sure it is subtle enough that only an experienced Force user would be able to recognize her actions. The others visibly relax, so Desara knows it works.

One by one, the Princesses all give their speeches, and the polls open. Desara congratulates all the girls on their speeches and wishes them well before she slips away back to the Palace to prepare herself and the Palace for when the new Queen is announced.

Ré congratulates Desara as they work, but Desara is lost in her thoughts. She has not seen her mother since the Princess of Theed election, and she wonders if her mother is disappointed with her.

"Des, what's wrong?" Ré asks.

"Nothing, Ré. I'm just thinking."

"In that case, think more about this curtain and how it needs to be beaten out." Des laughs as Ré drapes the bed curtains over her arms, which Desara then takes outside to the garden to beat the dust out. Even with the daily up-keeping of the Queen's suite since the late Queen died, dust has still managed to settle into the curtains. Once the curtains have had all the dust beaten out of them, Desara returns them to the Queen's suite, where she and Ré hang them back up. They are done for a bit since the schedule gives them downtime while another set of handmaidens changes the sheets and prepares the closet with the Queen's attire selection. The Queen's personal handmaidens will not be chosen until after the new Queen has been announced.

"Ré?" Desara calls later that night as she stands in the doorway to Ré's room. Ré stirs and wakes. "Can I ask you a question?" Ré motions for Desara to sit on her bed. "Do you think my mother is disappointed with me?" Ré sighs. She has no idea of Leia even knows her daughter is the Princess of Theed.

"I don't know, Des. I wish I knew. But in all honesty, if she is, then she isn't a very good mother. Any mother I know of on Naboo would be proud to see her daughter run for Queen. Have you heard anything from your father?"

"No, I haven't. But I'm sure I will at some point."

After a moment Ré sighs, "Des, it doesn't matter what your parents think of you. I'm proud of you, and all the handmaidens are proud of you." Des grabs Ré and pulls her into a hug, and Ré hugs back.

"And I'm proud of you too, Desara," Padmé's voice says quietly in Desara's ear before vanishing into the air. Then Ré sends Desara to bed, reminding her she needs to be at her best tomorrow. Desara climbs into bed and falls asleep to a song someone seemed to be sending her through the Force, one she heard once long ago.

"Across the stars, across the moons, across the planets my love reaches you . . ."

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 7! Yes, Han does finally get mentioned in the story. Also let me know what you all thought, and who you think will be Naboo's next ruler. Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Hey, Butterflies! I'm back with Chapter 8!

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

* * *

Dark blue, her signature color, and the one she feels most comfortable in; her dress is a dark blue linen with a high neckline and long sleeves. Whoever wins will be what is best for Naboo, she tells herself as she waits patiently, being mindful not to move around too much so that her skirt stands still. She needs to be perfect in the eyes of those around her because, even if she does not become Queen, she still, as a handmaiden, represents the Queen and the Royal House of Naboo.

The Governor of Naboo's face appears on a large screen in the Throne Room; they all know that this is the moment they have been waiting for. The new Queen, who will finish Queen Catareese's remaining two years of her term, is about to be announced. No boy made it into the final round, so there will be no King, much to the relief of the handmaidens since they will not have train any boys in the arts of their work.

"My fellow Naboo, after an election so close that the Royal Advisory Council feared there would be a tie, I am pleased to announce our new Queen is Handmaiden Desirée." The broadcast fades out, and there is total silence as everyone in the Throne Room processes the news. Then someone turns to Desara; it is Megra, the other handmaiden candidate.

"Your Majesty," she says as she curtsies deeply. Desara nods acknowledging, as she was taught to do when she was acting in Queen Catareese's place. The other handmaidens also curtsy, and Ré escorts Desara out shortly thereafter and leads her back to their shared quarters.

"Congratulations, Des. I knew you could do it." Desara smiles gratefully, but inside she wonders if she really can do this. "You'll meet with the Governor in a few hours, but, first, let's get you changed into something less plain." Desara does not object, but she would much rather stay in her current dress.

About half an hour later, Desara is now wearing clothes fit for the Queen-to-be. Ré then leads Desara to where she will meet the Governor, and while they wait, Ré goes over the process of the coronation in a week and the picking of Desara's personal entourage.

"You won't pick your handmaidens at first; they'll be chosen based on their skills and their resemblance to you, but you will be able to choose after six months, and who is Head Handmaiden is also up to you. Got it?"

"I think so. Thanks, Ré.'

"Of course, Des. I'm so proud of you." The doors to the private meeting room open before Ré can hug Desara, and the Governor of Naboo greets Desara with a bow and a nod towards Ré, who bobs a curtsy. _I'll be here when you finish, Des._ Ré tells her through the Force. _Okay. See you then._ Desara replies.

Finally, the meeting ends, and true to her word, Ré is waiting for Desara when she finishes. Desara says goodbye to the Governor before walking out to the garden with Ré.

"I'm confused, Ré. How am I supposed to be now? Do I assist with the preparations in the morning and then meet with the Royal Advisory Council in the afternoons and evenings? Do I eat with you all? How does this work?"

"Honestly, Des, it's been so long since a handmaiden was chosen as Queen, I don't know. I think, though, that you'll have Queen lessons in the mornings, followed by briefings in the afternoons, and fittings and coronation details to sort out in the evenings. You'll eat meals most likely with whomever you are with at the respective time, but you won't move into the Queen's suite until the day of the coronation." Desara nods; there certainly is a lot to remember. "I know it's a lot for such a short time frame, Des. Normally the Queen-elect begins her lessons as far as a year out and briefings a month out from her coronation. The leaving Queen would also assist with the transition, but that's not an option for you."

"Ré, have you ever wanted to do something different with your life?"

"In my lifetime, yes, but not now. This is what I have grown up in, and my skills have been developed for this job. My options would be limited outside of handmaiden service, and it just makes sense for me to stay here. Someday I know I will either retire or give my life for this job, and if it's the former, then I will see what I do." Ré pauses as a guard walks by; Desara recognizes him when he stops to bow as the guard who was stationed outside her and Ré's cell all those years ago. "Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious." Ré nods.

"Let's go get you ready for your presentation tonight to the Royal Advisory Council as the Queen-elect," Ré says as she stands. Desara follows in suit until they reach their quarters, where Ré helps Desara change dresses, her hair, and her makeup.

"Will I get a say in my coronation look?" Desara asks. Ré nods, and Desara smiles. She wants to look like her grandmother did.

That night, at the presentation dinner, the Council asks what Desara's public name will be since her last name has been kept off the ballots for safety's sake.

"I was thinking Desirée Naberrie, Councilwoman Brisin." Another Councilwoman stifles a small gasp, and Desara asks her if anything is wrong.

"My family's name is Naberrie. Why did you pick that name, Your Majesty?"

"To honor a person very near and dear to my family." Councilwoman Naberrie asks who that is. "Padmé Amidala." Then Councilwoman Naberrie expresses a wish to speak with Desara after dinner, which Desara agrees to.

After dinner, Councilwoman Naberrie lingers in the banquet hall with Desara. The two wait for everyone else to leave so that they can talk in private.

"How do you know about the connection between Padmé Amidala and the Naberrie name, Your Majesty?"

"My grandparents knew her quite well. They were good friends with Amidala and Bail Organa," Desara says, half lying. Desara knows that her adopted grandparents were Bail and Breha Organa and that her biological grandparents were Padmé Naberrie and Anakin Skywalker. Councilwoman Naberrie nods.

"Padmé Amidala was my great-aunt," she says, and Desara realizes the significance of that name.

"Councilwoman, would you prefer I pick a different name? I still have a couple days before it is official."

"To keep eyes off my family and to honor my great-aunt's actions, have you considered taking the name Amidala, Your Majesty?"

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 8. I know a lot happened, but I don't think it was too hard to follow. Anyway, I hope to have Chapter 9 posted soon.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey, everyone! I'm back with Chapter 9.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

* * *

Coronation day. A week of intensive study and preparation have led here. Desara's personal entourage busy themselves with tasks to get her ready, while Desara rehearses her part of the ceremony and going over the day's schedule in her mind. Ré, Desara's Head Handmaiden, helps with Desara's hair, rubbing a special gel through it to even out her ombré hair into one color while another handmaiden lays out the dresses and corresponding jewelry for Desara to choose from to wear; there is no crown or royal headdress since that comes at the coronation.

"My lady," Ré says with a smile, "how would you like your hair?" Desara smiles back at Ré through her reflection in the mirror.

"Braided, please. With a twist." It calls to mind memories in both of when they first met and Ré adjusted Desara's braid to frame her face better. Ré nods and twists the hair near the front of Desara's back and secures it with a dark blue comb before braiding into one long braid down her back. Then Ré takes a braided bun comb and secures it to the top of the back of Desara's head and pins two more braids into loops hanging off either side of the bun.

"Like this, my lady?" Desara laughs softly and says that the style is perfect. Then another handmaiden swaps places with Ré to do Desara's makeup. She paints Desara's face white before pausing to ask what look Desara wants.

"I like the more vintage looking circles on my cheeks below the eyes, Wyla. Could we make the color match my dress?" Wyla nods and gets to work. When she finishes, Desara's eyeshadow is the same color as the circles on her cheeks, and her lips are painted the same blue; only the top lip and a single vertical stripe on the bottom lip are colored.

After that, Desara picks which outfit to wear. She chooses a dark blue long dress with silver embroidery on the front and pale periwinkle trim. A silver chain and pendant hang softly on her forehead just below where the crown will rest. She is ready. Desara takes a deep breath and prepares herself for what is to come.

"Do you, Desirée Amidala, pledge to serve Naboo and her people to the best of your ability and protect her children for as long as you reign?" The holy man asks the final question of the ceremony.

"I do." The Governor of Theed accepts the crown from Ré and gives it to the holy man, who places it on Desara's head. Surprisingly, it it light on her head.

"Rise, then, Queen Desirée Amidala, and face your people." Desara stands and faces the crowd of Naboo in the plaza. Her mother is nowhere to be seen. "People of Naboo, I present Queen Desirée Amidala." Applause breaks out, and Desara smiles and waves gently. Then she is whisked away by her handmaidens, all adorned in dark blue cloaks that hide their faces.

Following the coronation, there is a banquet, where Desara meets and is congratulated by several important figures, including the Representatives, who still have no idea that they have already met her. The banquet lasts several hours, and when it is finally over, Desara is exhausted, but her schedule demands a meeting with the Royal Advisory Council and then a meeting with the Representatives.

Desara moves through the remainder of the day with relative ease, but when it is finally time for her to go to bed, she takes a bath and tries to relax before changing into a loose nightgown and climbing into bed. She almost falls asleep instantly, but Ré enters quietly and tells Desara that she did a good job that day. Desara mutters something along the lines of it was much harder than she thought.

"It'll get easier as you settle into your role, Des. If you need anything during the night, I'm in the other room."

"Thanks, Ré, for always taking care of me."

"You're welcome, Des. Good night."

"Good night, Ré." Ré disappears out of the room, and Desara rolls over and falls asleep. That night she dreams of how her life was many years ago, back on Maldofy. She dreams of her many failures and successes, but also of the time she spent with her uncle (who she did not know was her uncle at the time), and how he took special care of her. Then her dream shifts her to her year at the Temple under Cyril Azam before becoming Moi'ra Tade. When she gets to point where, Moi'ra dies, Desara starts thrashing, but she never wakes. Moi'ra's death was certainly tragic and preventable, but the nightmares no longer wake Desara, as they did when she was first restored to her old self. When she wakes early the next morning, Desara wonders how different things have been at the Temple since she left, but she knows she cannot simply leave to go visit.

Desara gets dressed and has breakfast alone since her handmaidens eat with the rest of the handmaidens, and Desara has no family in the palace. As she eats, she wonders if her grandmother or Queen Catareese ever felt lonely eating all alone when in the Palace. No one ever mentions that being Queen is not a social job; it just has social aspects.

"My lady, it's time to get ready for your meeting with the Representatives today. They want to go over any changes you want to make to the Galactic Treaty."

"Thank you, Lys." The handmaiden, Lys, then clears Desara's dishes, and Desara does her best to resist the urge to clear her own dishes; the two then walk back to the Queen's suite, where Lys helps Desara dress, Wyla does Desara's makeup, and Ré does her hair. Then the handmaidens change clothes, and the small group of six all head to the throne room to meet with the Representatives. It is the first time Desara and her mother will speak since Queen Catareese died, but Desara knows it will be all business.

The Representatives make the changes to the Treaty draft, and Desara's day continues. When it is finally nightfall, Desara dismisses her handmaidens early for the night and prepares herself for bed. Before she falls asleep, Desara lies awake and wonders if this is the path she really wanted for herself or if this is Queen Catareese's plan for her. _My life has never been mine to choose. And it never really will be if this is all the Force's will._


	10. Chapter 10

Hey, Butterflies! This is it: the final chapter to my entire Desara Solo series. I hope you all have enjoyed reading it.

Disclaimer: _Star Wars_ belongs to Disney.

* * *

Desara steps lightly up to the door and knocks. An older, but by no means elderly, man opens the door.

"Dad, it's Desara." The man grabs Desara and pulls her into a hug, weeping as he does so. A Wookie roars from inside before he runs out and embraces the two. Leia then joins the hug, and after nineteen years of separation, they are finally back together. They are scared to let go of each other in fear that they will all slip away again, but they do eventually break apart the hug.

Then, an approaching figure catches Desara's attention; it is a woman in her early twenties carrying a datapad in her arms. It is Ré, and she explains that the Galactic Treaty has been accepted on Naboo, and Desara sighs from relief; her work as Queen paid off, even if it is not her signature on the Treaty.

"Now what will you do, Des?" Ré asks.

"Whatever I want because for the first time in my life, my life is in my hands." Ré laughs. "I want to see everything and then decide what to do with my life. Who knows, maybe I'll return to more family." Ré and Desara share a bittersweet smile. "Mom, Dad, Uncle Chewie, this is Ré Mohv, my former handmaiden and," Desara pauses to find the right word, "my sister." They all understand what Desara means, and they welcome Ré into their family.

"But now," Han says, "let's be the family we never got to be." The five go inside, and the door closes. A family.


End file.
